Reading-box for punched cards.



A. W. BOTTUlV.

READING BOX FOR PUNCHED CARDS.

APPLICATION man 050.22. mm

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. Chm} my! mm Am 7 I WA 00000000000 0 l HM HM 1401 e Alf/"ea? K50 [fl/m nu nu noun ALFRED W. BOTTUM, 0F ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY. I

READING-BOX FOB PUNCHEID CARDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed December 22 1916. Serial No. 138,519.

punched tabulating cards used in such systems.

Other and more specific objects are to provide simple and effective means for automatically registering the punched cards in proper position to be read, to provide for the proper illumination of the headings of the punched cards and to enable the reading .of different styles of cards on the same apparatus.

These objects I have accomplished by means of what I have termed a reading box comprising in a general way a box having an opening in one side thereof in which is framed an unpunched indicator card bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards and gaging means for automatically registering the punched cards with the punched-out value locations thereof in line with the originals of such values on the indicating card. A lamp is usually mounted in the reading box and a guard is preferably provided shielding the light from the eyes of the operator and reflectin a portion of the light down onto the headlngs or other desired indications on the perforated cards. The indicator cards are preferably so supported that different styles or types of cards may be readily substituted.

Other features'of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a practical and preferred embodiment of the invention but it will be understood that various changes and modifications maybe made without 'departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

In" the drawing Figure 1, is a perspective view of the readin box.

ig. 2, is a transverse sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a broken detail view of one of the punched indicator cards and a fragment of an indicator member or card below the same.

Fig. 4, is a similar view illustrating the registration of the cards against the 'side and end gages.

Considering the drawing now in detail 7 designates the box proper constructed of suitable material and of convenient size and having in the present-embodiment its front side disposed on an incline convenient for readingvpurposes and provided with an opening 8 therein over which the cards are supported.

In the embodiment illustrated the light is furnished byan electric lamp 9 mounted in the box and controlled by a suitable switch 10 and the box is shown lined with mirrors 11 or other suitable light reflecting means for throwing the light out through the opening in the front of the box.

Framed in the opening is what I have termed an indicator card 12 bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the tabulating cards 13 which are to be read. In "other words, the indicator card is in effect a duplicate of an original tabulating card before any of the values have been punched therefrom.

The indicator cards are preferably so mounted that different cards may readily be substituted for reading different styles of tabulating cards. In the illustration this is accomplished by mounting the indicator card on a ground glass support 14: which is detachably fitted between end gaging strips 15 at the ends of the opening and resting on a bottom gage 16 at the lower edge of the opening, said bottom gage terminating short of the end gage strips so as to leave spaces 17 at which the corner portions of the support are exposed to enable the support be-.

ing engaged by the fingers when it is desired to remove the same.

The indicator card is preferably protected by a transparent cover such as the glass plate 18 on which the. tabulating cards are directly supported.

The tabulating cards are automatically registered over the indicator card by gaging means comprising in the present illustration, an outwardly projecting end gage 19 and the bottom or side gage 16 above referred to. x

In using the device care is first taken that the indicator card between the ground and plain glass supports is properly registered with the end and side gages before described.

' To read a punched tabulating card then it is merely necessary to drop the punched card over the indicator card with a movement such as to carry it into engagement with the end and side gages whereupon the punched out value locatlons on such card will be automatically registered with the originals of such punched out values appearing on the indicator card, the light shining through the punched out portions serving to bring out such values in sharp relief.

The indications on .the indicator cards are preferably accentuated to make them stand out more clearly as by imprinting 7 them more heavily or in darker ink than .of, substitute the desired indicator card and replace the supports.

Provision is made in my invention for illuminatingthe headings on the tabulating cards by allowing a portion of the light to shine through the opening in the front of the box and reflecting the same down upon the desired portion of the card. Thus in the illustration, the cards do not extend entirely to the upper edge of the opening 8 so that a part of the light passes through the uncovered area thus left at 20 and enga es the reflecting underface of a reflector 21 y which it is directed onto the top of the card as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. This light reflector also serves as a guard for shieldmg the eyes of the observer from any glare.

What I claim is:

4 1. Apparatus for the reading oftabulating cards which have hadcertain of the original values unched therefrom comprising an unpunciied indicator card bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards, means for supporting said indicator card in position to be illuminated by a source of light and means for automatically registering the punched cards with the punched out value locations thereon in line with the indicationson the. indicator card representing the originals of such punched out values.

2. Ap aratus for the reading of tabulating car s which have had certain of the original values punched therefrom comprising an unpunched indicator card distinguished in color from the colors of the tabuating cards and bearing accentuated indiing cards which have had certain of the original values punched therefrom comprising an unpunched indicator card bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards, a light source, means for supporting the indicator card in position to be illuminated by said light source and means for automatically registering the punched cards with the punched out value locations thereon in line with the indications on the indicator card representing the originals of such punched out values.

4. Apparatus for the reading of tabulating cards which have had certain of the original values punched therefrom comprising a box having an opening inone side thereof, a lamp in said box, an unpunched indicator card framed in theopening in the side of said box and bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards and means for automatically registering the punched cards with the punched out value locations there on in line with the indications on the indicator card representing the originals of such unched out values.

5. p aratus for the reading of tabulatin car swhich have had certain of the original values punched therefrom comprising a box having an inclined front side prpvided with an openin therein, a lamp m said box, an unpunc ed indicator card framed in the openin in the front of said box and bearing in ications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards and means for automatically registering the punched cards with the. punched out value locations thereon in line with the indications on the indicator card representing the originals of such punched out values.

6. Apparatus for the reading of tabulat in cards which have had certain of the onginal values punched therefrom comprising a box havmg an inclined front wall provided with an opening therein, an unpunched indicator card framed in said opening and bearing indications in'duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards, a'lamp in said box, end and side gages on the front of the box at the end and slde of the indicator card for registerin the punched sheets on the indicator card.

7. Ap aratus for the reading of tabulating car s which have had certain ofthe light shield overstanding original values punched therefrom comprising a box having an inclined front Wall provided with an opening therein, an unpunched indicator card framed in said opening and bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards, a lamp in said box, end and side gages at thefront of the box at the end and side of the indicator card for registering the punched sheets on the indicator card and a light shield overstanding the upper portion of the indicator card and provided with a light reflective surface on its under side for reflecting the light from vthe lamp down upon the head portion of the punched card resting against the end and side gages.

'8. Apparatus for reading tabulating cards which have had certain of the original values unched therefrom, comprising a box having an opening in one side thereof, an unpunched indicator card framed in said opening and bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards, a lamp in the box and a a portion of the indicator card and provided with a lightreflecting surface on the side adjacent the indicator card, the box having an opening for the light to pass from the lamp to the under side of the light shield whereby said light shield will reflect a portion of the light projecting from. the box down onto the face of the indicator; card.

9. Apparatus for reading tabulati-ng cards which have had certain of the original value punched therefrom, comprising a box having an opening in one side thereof, an unpunched indicator card framed in said opening and bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards, and gages for registering a punched card over the indicator card. p 10. Apparatus for reading tabulating cards which have had certain of the original values punched therefrom,,comprising a box having an opening in one side thereof, an unpunched indicator card bearing indications in duplicate of all the original values of the punched cards, a glass support for such indicator card, means for detachably supporting said glass support over the opening in the box, gages for registerin a punched card on the glass support an a lamp in the box,

ALFRED "W. BOTTUM. 

